1 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: And we are back with another edition of the Federalist 2 00:00:19,719 --> 00:00:23,160 Radio Hour. I'm Matt Kittle, Senior Elections correspondent at the 3 00:00:23,199 --> 00:00:27,879 Federalist and your experienced Shirpa on today's quest for Knowledge. 4 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,440 As always, you can email the show at radio at 5 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,000 the Federalist dot com, follow us on x at fbr LST, 6 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,640 make sure to subscribe wherever you download your podcast, and 7 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,119 of course to the premium version of our website as well. 8 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,560 Our guest today is Jennifer Brison, a fellow in the 9 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:52,000 Ethics and Public Policy Centers Catholic Women's Forum. She researches 10 00:00:52,079 --> 00:00:57,679 and advocates for sound sports governance via the Sports Policy Initiative. 11 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,840 Jennifer's new report, freshly published at EPPC, is titled Reclaim 12 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,640 Team USA Sports from Activism, which highlights how the USA's 13 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:14,359 national sports teams use symbols of LGBTQ, gun control, and 14 00:01:14,439 --> 00:01:19,840 other partisan causes on national uniforms and social media, and 15 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,920 as you might imagine, Americans have grown tired of it all. 16 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,000 Jennifer joins us now on this edition of the Federalist 17 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,079 Radio Hour. Thanks so much for doing so. 18 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 2: Jennifer, delighted to talk with you and your listeners. 19 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: I think this is a very impactful report. I think 20 00:01:38,359 --> 00:01:40,959 it sums up what I've just said. I think that 21 00:01:41,079 --> 00:01:44,640 there is a fatigue. There has been a growing fatigue 22 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,640 among Americans who, let's face it, in all forms of sports, 23 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,000 in all walks of life. As we go through what 24 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:58,280 frankly is a marathon, not a sprint in Pride month, 25 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,319 as I talk to you, we are only half way 26 00:02:00,359 --> 00:02:05,400 through and all of that. You know, leftist messaging is 27 00:02:05,599 --> 00:02:09,879 on everything, but it's not quite as it has been 28 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,159 in years past. I think corporate America is waking up. 29 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:21,520 Will the Team USA officials wake up to the changes 30 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:21,960 going on? 31 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 2: Well, we've already seen evidence this month that they are 32 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,360 not waking up, or as some would say, that they 33 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,599 are woke. So on September tenth of this month, when 34 00:02:34,719 --> 00:02:39,800 the US men's national soccer team played Switzerland, the game 35 00:02:39,879 --> 00:02:44,439 was held in Nashville, the US team added to its 36 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:50,560 jersey a rainbow design and it wasn't just LGB, it 37 00:02:50,719 --> 00:02:57,000 was the Progress Pride stripes, So lots of activist causes 38 00:02:57,039 --> 00:03:00,599 packed in there, and those stripes color the number of 39 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,919 each player on the team. And I've been following this 40 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:11,080 issue since twenty seventeen and it has been getting worse. However, 41 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,280 I agree with you that we have an opportunity now 42 00:03:15,319 --> 00:03:18,199 that enough people are tired of it, that there are 43 00:03:18,319 --> 00:03:22,360 possibilities to push back. And as I outline in my report, 44 00:03:22,759 --> 00:03:25,439 more than I think a lot of Americans may be aware, 45 00:03:26,319 --> 00:03:31,360 political offices and power have a huge amount of influence 46 00:03:31,439 --> 00:03:32,919 on our amateur sports. 47 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. I want to talk about that as we proceed 48 00:03:36,039 --> 00:03:40,240 in our conversation today, but I'm I'm thinking about the 49 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:47,719 great Michael Jordan. And you know, nobody, nobody sold more 50 00:03:47,759 --> 00:03:51,879 shoes than Michael Jordan with his Air Jordan brand. And 51 00:03:51,919 --> 00:03:56,520 he was asked years ago, you know, why don't you, 52 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,919 why don't you be an activist, you know, for the 53 00:03:59,039 --> 00:04:03,759 left in these important social justice causes or however they're 54 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,479 being framed or defined. And his answer to that, which 55 00:04:08,719 --> 00:04:12,039 I love it still resonates to this day, was that 56 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,480 conservatives by tennis shoes too. Yes, And I mean that's 57 00:04:16,519 --> 00:04:21,240 the idea here is that. Yeah, you have people following 58 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:27,079 the US soccer team, following the Olympic teams who very much, 59 00:04:27,199 --> 00:04:30,199 you know, agree with the sentiments of the far left 60 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,600 in this country. But you have a lot of Americans 61 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:38,439 who don't. So why is it that Team USA continues 62 00:04:39,199 --> 00:04:43,480 to pick sides choose sides when the average American says, 63 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,040 dear lord, why don't you just give us the sports, 64 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,160 the thrill of this competition and keep your political agenda 65 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:50,759 out of this. 66 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 2: Well, and in a case like this where the team 67 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,800 is adding an image or a symbol to the uniform 68 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,279 or to the gear such as hockey sticks, where you know, 69 00:05:04,399 --> 00:05:06,920 if Michael Jordan is selling a pair of shoes, I 70 00:05:06,959 --> 00:05:09,160 have a choice as a consumer whether or not to 71 00:05:09,199 --> 00:05:12,279 buy the shoes. Right now, we have an added layer 72 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:16,600 of coercion in that the players face the dilemma of 73 00:05:17,399 --> 00:05:21,759 where the image or don't be allowed on the team. 74 00:05:21,879 --> 00:05:26,160 And I think that's a huge problem. So why is 75 00:05:26,199 --> 00:05:31,160 this continuing? Well, I think it's because nobody has ever 76 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:37,879 said stop it to the national governing bodies of sports 77 00:05:37,879 --> 00:05:40,480 in the USA. 78 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: It's interesting that you say that, because if that is 79 00:05:43,959 --> 00:05:46,279 the case, let me go on record now and say 80 00:05:46,959 --> 00:05:51,720 stop it. We've had enough. And you make this point 81 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,639 in your in your research, it's not, you know, just 82 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,800 something on the left. Uh, it's it's the right. It's 83 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:05,519 every political ideological cause. You don't need to have that 84 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:11,199 tied into Team USA sports, their logos, their flags, they're designs. 85 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:17,480 It should be truly nonpartisan, truly non political, but it isn't. 86 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:22,279 And I think your point is well taken. So there 87 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,600 are a lot of Americans who have said, make this stop? 88 00:06:25,959 --> 00:06:27,480 How do you make this stop? 89 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 2: So what you comment that a lot of Americans don't 90 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,439 want this has also been my finding. As I mentioned, 91 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,160 I've been working on this issue and studying it following 92 00:06:38,199 --> 00:06:42,759 it since twenty seventeen, and consistently when people find out 93 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:47,639 about this sort of specialized interest I have in stopping 94 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:52,199 the placement of the visuals, let's say, of activist causes 95 00:06:52,959 --> 00:06:58,399 on sports uniforms and gear. All the time people say 96 00:06:58,399 --> 00:07:02,079 to me, oh, I'm so tired of it. I used 97 00:07:02,079 --> 00:07:06,519 to watch this league or this sport, but I simply 98 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:12,600 stopped because I was tired of it. But as I said, 99 00:07:12,879 --> 00:07:18,439 while I absolutely second your call that this must stop 100 00:07:19,319 --> 00:07:23,639 until the authorities in charge of amateur sports in the 101 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:31,800 United States have clearer rules about uniforms and have consequences 102 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,519 those who want to exploit, I would even say, hijack 103 00:07:36,639 --> 00:07:40,600 sports to use them as a platform for various non 104 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,720 sporting causes. They're going to keep pushing. And that's what 105 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:49,600 we've seen since twenty seventeen because it started out just 106 00:07:49,839 --> 00:07:54,000 with the LGBT rainbow, and they did that for a 107 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:58,959 few years, mostly during just Pride Month then and when 108 00:07:58,959 --> 00:08:02,680 nobody said no, oh, then they expanded it and it's 109 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,000 now international. We see this in soccer in the fall, 110 00:08:06,399 --> 00:08:09,519 for example, I think the Premier League in England has 111 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:17,279 a whole LGBT season. And we've now seen, especially with 112 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:21,079 the US Soccer Federation and is that they keep on 113 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,959 adding the types of causes that they're pushing. So they 114 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:30,639 Also in twenty twenty two, the men's team wore orange armbands, 115 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,679 not just the captain but all the players to represent 116 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,440 their advocacy for gun control, and the team issued a 117 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:43,679 press release specifically calling for gun control. Also in twenty twenty, 118 00:08:44,519 --> 00:08:49,879 the men's team wore what are called anthem jackets, So 119 00:08:49,919 --> 00:08:52,320 those are the jackets that they wear when they're singing 120 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:57,840 the national anthem. They individual players wore slogans from the 121 00:08:57,879 --> 00:09:03,720 Black Lives Matter BLA cause, so and tell somebody says no, 122 00:09:04,279 --> 00:09:06,919 They're not only going to continue, but we're seeing that 123 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,879 they keep pushing it and we're now also seeing more 124 00:09:09,919 --> 00:09:11,919 and more in other sports as well. 125 00:09:12,399 --> 00:09:16,519 Speaker 1: That's a very good point. That's how the left in 126 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:20,799 this country, in particular moves. If you do not stop them, 127 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:25,200 if you do not say no, they will continue to 128 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,080 push and to push and push. I've said it on 129 00:09:28,159 --> 00:09:31,720 many occasions. The left, the far left in this country 130 00:09:31,799 --> 00:09:37,360 is like rust. It never sleeps. And that has happened 131 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,240 in all kinds of agendas and causes from the left. 132 00:09:41,399 --> 00:09:44,759 But here's the other problem as well, Jennifer. We know 133 00:09:44,919 --> 00:09:47,600 this and we're seeing it play out in real time 134 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,519 with the rule of law in this country when it 135 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,799 comes to all kinds of things, but particularly illegal immigration, 136 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,360 the left will continue to push. When you say no, 137 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,879 in the law says no, there haven't been consequences. You 138 00:10:04,919 --> 00:10:10,759 talked about consequences. This presidential administration has been the first 139 00:10:11,159 --> 00:10:17,720 to bring about consequences for not following the law, for 140 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:26,000 taking supposedly non political, nonpartisan organizations that should be that, 141 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,080 and have turned them into political organs and political voices. 142 00:10:32,159 --> 00:10:36,720 There have been consequences for that, from DEI that movement 143 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:43,080 in America's colleges in institutions to well, you name it. 144 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:45,440 What does that look like? 145 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 3: Then? 146 00:10:45,759 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: What do consequences look like for the people in power 147 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,840 that are making these decisions for Team US. 148 00:10:55,279 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 2: Sure, I think it would help listeners if I start 149 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,879 by explaining just a little bit about the structure of 150 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,639 sports governance in the United States, because this is the 151 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:12,200 key to understanding how to change this. So, in a 152 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,279 lot of countries in the world, there is a ministry 153 00:11:15,279 --> 00:11:19,720 of sports in the government, or a department of sports 154 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:24,440 inside of a ministry of the government, and that government 155 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:29,159 office then decides, for example, which group gets to be 156 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:33,919 in charge of soccer and figure skating and ice hockey 157 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,480 and go on down the list, and with the authority 158 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,080 of the government. Then the group that is in charge 159 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:46,559 of a specific sport then governs the sport, trains athletes, 160 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,440 hicks athletes for the national team to represent the country. 161 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:57,240 That's a big deal, and other functions also to help 162 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,840 you know, the public have access to play that particular sport. 163 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:08,639 The United States, however, is quite different in that Congress 164 00:12:08,639 --> 00:12:14,879 in the nineteen seventies delegated the authority to govern amateur 165 00:12:14,919 --> 00:12:18,639 sports in the United States. So amateur sports would be 166 00:12:19,799 --> 00:12:26,320 the Olympics, the Paralympics, the Pan American Games, and other 167 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,799 aspects of amateur sports as well. This also has an 168 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,440 influence somewhat also, let's say, for example, on K through 169 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:38,320 twelve sports for children. So Congress in the nineteen seventies 170 00:12:38,759 --> 00:12:45,639 delegated that authority to what's called a federally chartered nonprofit organization. 171 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:50,799 And so it's a nonprofit organization that raises private funds. 172 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,720 But it exists, and here's the key, only with the 173 00:12:54,799 --> 00:13:00,519 authority of Congress. And so the federally chartered non profit 174 00:13:00,759 --> 00:13:05,039 that is in charge of all American amateur sports is 175 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,720 today called the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. And that 176 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:15,240 name is confusing because its mission is far more than sports, 177 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:21,799 I'm sorry, than just the Olympics. But that organization is 178 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:29,600 the one that has the power to certify or now 179 00:13:29,639 --> 00:13:34,000 here's the key de certify a national governing body for 180 00:13:34,039 --> 00:13:39,720 a sport. So let's take an example. Let's look at gymnastics. 181 00:13:41,519 --> 00:13:46,399 In just a few years ago, US gymnastics had a 182 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:51,879 terrible scandal going on for years with sexual abuse of 183 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,840 young gymnasts, mostly female gymnasts. 184 00:13:55,320 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 4: By exactly who We're being sexually abused by males, coaches, doctors, And. 185 00:14:07,399 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 2: In that case, the US Olympic Committee or US Olympic 186 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,039 and Paralympic Committee had the risks not just the authority, 187 00:14:15,039 --> 00:14:19,759 but the responsibility to make sure US Gymnastics was doing 188 00:14:19,799 --> 00:14:25,600 its job governing the sport. The USOPC, as the US 189 00:14:25,679 --> 00:14:30,480 Olympic and Paralympic Committee is known, failed, and in that case, 190 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:36,000 Congress stepped in and made the law governing amateur sports 191 00:14:36,039 --> 00:14:38,519 even stronger, which is going to help us when we 192 00:14:38,559 --> 00:14:42,879 get back to our topic of these activists cause images 193 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:48,480 on uniforms, and so now I think it's since twenty 194 00:14:48,639 --> 00:14:53,039 twenty two. I believe both the US Olympic and Paralympic 195 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:59,440 Committee as well as Congress have the authority to decertify 196 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:04,679 an national governing body of a sport under certain circumstances, 197 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:10,679 and so I think that Congress needs to step in 198 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,759 and put pressure on the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. 199 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:19,759 And I would also suggest, such as the House did 200 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:27,080 with USA fencing after they punished, essentially punished a female 201 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:32,639 fencer for refusing to play against a male fencer compete 202 00:15:32,639 --> 00:15:36,399 against a male fencer who was pretending to be a female, 203 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:40,240 I would like to see Congress, and in particular would 204 00:15:40,279 --> 00:15:44,320 be the Senate Commerce Committee led by Senator Ted Cruz 205 00:15:44,399 --> 00:15:48,279 that has the authority over amateur sports. I'd like to 206 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,000 see them hold hearings to see what is going on 207 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:55,360 with the national governing bodies that seemed completely out of control. 208 00:15:56,559 --> 00:16:00,679 Speaker 1: Indeed they do, and as you mentioned, the USOP has 209 00:16:00,759 --> 00:16:05,519 had a very troubled past. The whole scandal with the 210 00:16:05,639 --> 00:16:10,320 female gymnast comes immediately to mind, and more modern modern 211 00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:14,279 day maybe they should say, more recently the whole fencing scandal. 212 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:19,559 In that situation that's becoming a significant part of the 213 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:25,159 discussion around these issues, and that is males competing in 214 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:30,320 women's sports in all walks of life, in the amateur realm. 215 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 2: Yes, and with that issue of males and female sports, 216 00:16:34,559 --> 00:16:39,840 I absolutely admire and I'm cheering for each individual female 217 00:16:39,919 --> 00:16:43,360 who stands up and refuses to compete or refuses to 218 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:48,120 get up on the podium. But to solve this problem, 219 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,679 we're going to have to go beyond individuals saying no 220 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,080 to the top of the power pyramid. And that is 221 00:16:56,120 --> 00:17:00,559 where I was delighted recently when Senator Ted Cruise in 222 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:07,279 a letter, suggested the possibility of decertifying USA Fencing as 223 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:12,119 the national governing body of fencing because of their mishandling 224 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,839 of this, and I was delighted not only because it 225 00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:19,319 would help get males out of female sports, but also 226 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:24,799 this is where the power lies in sports governance to 227 00:17:25,599 --> 00:17:30,519 reign in and have orderly sports governance in America for 228 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,599 the athletes and for the American people who want to 229 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:34,839 cheer for Team USA. 230 00:17:42,519 --> 00:17:46,599 Speaker 5: This is Molly Hemingway of the Federalist join me, my husband, 231 00:17:46,599 --> 00:17:51,319 mark of Real Clear Investigations, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, 232 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:55,039 doctor Carl Truman of Grove City College, and others for 233 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:59,119 the twenty twenty five Making the Case Conference Friday July 234 00:17:59,279 --> 00:18:04,079 eighteenth and on Saturday July nineteenth at Concordia University, Chicago. 235 00:18:04,559 --> 00:18:08,759 Learn more at Issues Etc. Dot org. Making the Case 236 00:18:09,039 --> 00:18:14,559 July eighteenth and nineteenth in Chicago, Issues Etc. Dot Org. 237 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,519 Speaker 1: You mentioned this before about, you know, the changes that 238 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:29,759 led to reforms Congress now being involved. This is congressional domain, 239 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,160 so it is not the second branch issues. We're not 240 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,000 talking about the executive branch. So, as I mentioned before 241 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:41,519 about the Trump administration, the President in particular taking executive 242 00:18:41,599 --> 00:18:48,000 action to in my humble opinion, right some wrongs with 243 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:55,200 the whole DEI movement in America. That is not a 244 00:18:55,559 --> 00:19:00,240 possibility for the president to act. This is merely in 245 00:19:00,279 --> 00:19:02,839 the hands of Congress. If there is going to be 246 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,720 some movement from the outside, so to speak. 247 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 2: Well, I am waiting to see if some of those 248 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:18,319 good lawyers they're in the executive branch can identify points 249 00:19:18,559 --> 00:19:22,319 of intervention that would be appropriate to the office of 250 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,599 the President. And let me cite one example that I 251 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:30,119 think could already be relevant. I've written on this and 252 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,200 hopefully the article will be coming out this week. In 253 00:19:33,319 --> 00:19:38,319 the executive order that Trump issued to keep males out 254 00:19:38,319 --> 00:19:43,240 of female sports, he called on his Domestic Policy advisor 255 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:47,720 to gather the leaders of national sports organizations and this 256 00:19:47,759 --> 00:19:53,680 would include the USOPC, and insisted that they be required 257 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:58,039 to take steps to stop allowing males and female sports. 258 00:19:58,799 --> 00:20:01,960 And so it would seem to me that one of 259 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,599 those steps would include to stop displaying the flag colors 260 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:13,119 of transgenderism that pastel blue, pastel pink, pastel white we 261 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:18,319 see all too often now, to require that the teams 262 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:24,160 at least not be pushing transgenderism on their uniforms, because 263 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,319 think about it, the US men's team, when they wore 264 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:32,279 the Progress Pride flag stripes on their jerseys in an 265 00:20:32,319 --> 00:20:36,920 international match representing the country against Switzerland on June tenth. 266 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:42,759 There in effect calling for and cheering for a movement 267 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:47,279 that is advocating for females and male sports. I think 268 00:20:47,279 --> 00:20:48,240 this is a problem. 269 00:20:49,079 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 1: I think a lot of Americans agree with you in 270 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:54,359 the polling. Back to that statement up. Our guest today 271 00:20:54,519 --> 00:20:58,079 is Jennifer Brison, a fellow in the Ethics and Public 272 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:03,519 Policy Centers Catholic Women's She researches and advocates for sound 273 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:08,400 sports governance via the Sports Policy Initiative. Jennifer's new report, 274 00:21:08,559 --> 00:21:14,519 freshly published at EPPC, is titled Reclaim Team USA Sports 275 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:20,880 from Activism. And as I mentioned, Jennifer, the American people 276 00:21:21,039 --> 00:21:27,839 are squarely behind the idea the opposition to men in 277 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:34,400 women's sports. But yet we have seen the progressive left 278 00:21:34,559 --> 00:21:38,480 in this country wanting to die on this hill. What 279 00:21:38,519 --> 00:21:41,599 do you say to those in that movement who say, hey, 280 00:21:42,079 --> 00:21:47,519 this is democracy, this is free speech, this is you know, 281 00:21:48,079 --> 00:21:52,400 standing up for a cause through the First Amendment. What 282 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,319 say you to that? Because that has been an argument 283 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:57,599 along the way in this discussion. 284 00:21:57,799 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 2: Of course, there is a huge, huge difference between private 285 00:22:03,039 --> 00:22:09,279 American citizen exercising their free speech or also their freedom 286 00:22:09,319 --> 00:22:18,839 of assembly to advocate for this cause of transgenderism, including 287 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:23,359 advocating for males and female sports. However much I might disagree, 288 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:29,759 that's one thing. However, a team that is representing officially 289 00:22:29,839 --> 00:22:37,599 representing the United States of America as a country has 290 00:22:37,799 --> 00:22:43,960 a different level of I think responsibility in their roles. 291 00:22:44,039 --> 00:22:48,119 As I said, a representative of the United States and 292 00:22:48,279 --> 00:22:52,559 also the national governing body of a sport. While it 293 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:57,519 is a nonprofit organization, it does not exist of its 294 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:03,119 own will and authority. It only is the official national 295 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:09,759 governing body because the USOPC has certified it as the 296 00:23:09,839 --> 00:23:14,680 national governing body. And that's something the USOPC can take away. 297 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:21,000 And I think the USOPC needs to have negative consequences 298 00:23:21,079 --> 00:23:24,559 for teams that are putting all sorts of whether it's 299 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:30,839 you know, images, messages, symbols other than the flag of 300 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:36,240 the United States, and artistic representations of the flag as 301 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,880 we see in many of the wonderfully creative sports uniforms. 302 00:23:40,559 --> 00:23:44,119 Anything other than that does not belong on the uniform. 303 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,599 And while these are two separate issues about the images 304 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,359 placed on the uniform, and sports gear on the one hand, 305 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,079 and males and female sports on the other. There is 306 00:23:55,160 --> 00:24:01,160 a common element, and that is sports governance. Improving sports 307 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:06,279 governance in the United States has the potential, I think, 308 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,160 actually quickly if the authorities who have the power to 309 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:15,279 act act to solve both problems, at least in amateur sports. 310 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,880 Dealing with this in professional sports is a bit different 311 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,759 and gets more complicated. But the focus of my report, 312 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,720 as you say, it has Team USA in the title. 313 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:30,680 I'm focused on our national sports teams in the sports 314 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,480 that are governed by the USOPC. 315 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: You're absolutely right, you know this is the private sector 316 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:41,039 is going to within the boundaries of civil rights laws 317 00:24:41,079 --> 00:24:43,559 and all of those sorts of things, going to do 318 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,480 what they're going to do. That's why I wish that 319 00:24:46,599 --> 00:24:48,480 this report also would take a look at the Los 320 00:24:48,519 --> 00:24:52,400 Angeles Dodgers, because they've done all kinds of things in 321 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:56,039 the name of progressive activism that I do not agree with. 322 00:24:56,079 --> 00:24:59,119 But again, as you mentioned, they're a private entity, a 323 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,640 private business. They can effectively do what they want. But 324 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,680 we're talking yeah, no, go ahead. 325 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 2: However, I'd like to point out an exception to doing 326 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,960 whatever they want that applies I think in you know, 327 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:17,559 privately owned for profit professional sports teams. That's related also 328 00:25:17,599 --> 00:25:21,200 to our national teams. And in my report, I identify 329 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:28,839 three harms of placing these activists cause images on sports uniforms, 330 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:32,240 and one of those three that is relevant in professional 331 00:25:32,279 --> 00:25:37,039 sports is the problem of coercion and discrimination. And in 332 00:25:37,079 --> 00:25:43,079 the United States, with our civil rights law, organizations have 333 00:25:43,319 --> 00:25:49,480 a responsibility not to discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, 334 00:25:49,559 --> 00:25:54,079 et cetera. And in these cases, and we saw this 335 00:25:54,319 --> 00:25:59,200 just recently with the LA Dodgers, it's often religious believers 336 00:25:59,559 --> 00:26:06,119 today who don't want to be wearing these left wing causes, 337 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,200 and these individuals are being coerced, and this is an 338 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:16,400 issue of conscience for the individual and I would like 339 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:21,640 to see some individuals working through the law to protect 340 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:28,039 themselves from being forced to wear images or messages that 341 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,079 violate their deepest, sincerely held beliefs. 342 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:36,039 Speaker 1: Indeed, you're absolutely right, and that's the the civil rights 343 00:26:36,079 --> 00:26:41,519 portion of this. Unfortunately, in this country, for well the 344 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:44,640 better part of the last decade and a half, in particular, 345 00:26:44,759 --> 00:26:51,480 I think this country and the people who control a 346 00:26:51,519 --> 00:26:57,480 good deal of power have either believed that discrimination works 347 00:26:57,599 --> 00:27:04,480 only in a certain direction or certain directions and doesn't prevail, 348 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:10,000 doesn't involve other directions. Discrimination is discrimination, no matter what. 349 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:14,079 I think, we're waking up from the wokeness that was 350 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:18,119 the spell over a lot of policymakers in this country 351 00:27:18,559 --> 00:27:22,119 for many the past years now on that front. And 352 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,000 I think that raises a good question, what about the 353 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:30,839 people who the athletes who don't agree with these symbols, 354 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:37,480 that don't agree with these policies from the USOPC. What 355 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:38,599 happens to them? 356 00:27:39,519 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 2: So to me, you hit the nail on the head, 357 00:27:42,279 --> 00:27:45,720 because that was the concern that first got me interested 358 00:27:45,759 --> 00:27:49,519 in this issue. In May twenty seventeen, when I heard 359 00:27:49,519 --> 00:27:52,079 that the US Soccer Federation was going to be adding 360 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:55,960 an LGBT rainbow to the national uniform during Pride Month, 361 00:27:56,039 --> 00:28:00,519 I immediately thought, wait a minute, what if an athlete 362 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:05,440 doesn't want to wear that? And on my website that 363 00:28:05,519 --> 00:28:09,440 I have that's at Sports policy dot org, I've started 364 00:28:09,519 --> 00:28:16,599 a gallery of heroes and I'm profiling athletes in various 365 00:28:16,599 --> 00:28:20,359 sports and from all over the world who have said 366 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:25,400 no to wearing one of these images, to being coerced 367 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,680 to wear it as part of the uniform and I'm 368 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:32,039 looking for more and more examples of courageous individuals who 369 00:28:32,079 --> 00:28:35,160 have stood up and say no. So your listeners can 370 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:40,079 nominate heroes for the Courage Award if they know of any. 371 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,480 And I think that we need to highlight and cheer 372 00:28:44,519 --> 00:28:50,039 for and applaud these athletes who often significant cost to 373 00:28:50,119 --> 00:28:53,319 their own career, are saying no. 374 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: Indeed, we'll touch upon one in particular coming up and 375 00:28:59,759 --> 00:29:03,119 just moment. But I do want to get into the 376 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,799 public versus private zone again with all that we're talking about, 377 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:13,200 there's also taxpayer money involved in this as well. If 378 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:17,640 that is indeed the case, then you definitely have the 379 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:22,920 responsibility of the government to make sure that taxpayer dollars 380 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:28,599 are being represented, especially in a non discriminatory way. How 381 00:29:28,599 --> 00:29:32,079 does all of that fit into this conversation. 382 00:29:33,119 --> 00:29:37,559 Speaker 2: So that gets us into some tricky territory because of 383 00:29:37,599 --> 00:29:41,839 this status of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee as 384 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:48,559 a nonprofit organization that raises private funds. Right, so there 385 00:29:48,599 --> 00:29:51,200 may be there certainly are cases where there is a 386 00:29:51,359 --> 00:29:55,119 major international event, and we have two coming up in 387 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,680 the United States, which is one reason I wrote this report. Now, 388 00:29:59,079 --> 00:30:02,359 let's look at the and the issue of money. So 389 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:08,599 the World Cup of Soccer in twenty twenty six will 390 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:13,039 be held in three countries, Canada, the United States, and Mexico, 391 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,160 and there will be I believe, eleven sites in the 392 00:30:15,279 --> 00:30:20,839 United States. Now, no doubt there are local governments and 393 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:25,920 federal governments that are involved financially in supporting the event, 394 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:29,519 for example the development of infrastructure. And then in twenty 395 00:30:29,599 --> 00:30:34,119 twenty eight we have the Summer Olympics coming to Los Angeles, 396 00:30:34,599 --> 00:30:37,319 and again there's bound to be some role for the 397 00:30:37,359 --> 00:30:40,920 government financially. However, when we look at sports. 398 00:30:40,559 --> 00:30:46,759 Speaker 6: Governance, I am not so sure that the question of 399 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:51,759 taxpayer funding is going to be the lever that can 400 00:30:51,839 --> 00:30:56,559 be pulled. Because the USOPC, as I said, is a 401 00:30:56,599 --> 00:31:02,839 nonprofit that raises private funds. What's different learned though with 402 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:08,359 other nonprofits, as I mentioned before, is it exists only 403 00:31:08,559 --> 00:31:13,079 under the authority of Congress, and so I think that 404 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:18,400 the authority that could make a difference is the power 405 00:31:18,559 --> 00:31:22,759 to say yes or no to the existence of these 406 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:28,440 organizations such as the USOPC, and then the individual national 407 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:32,440 governing bodies. If there is somebody out there, a lawyer 408 00:31:32,599 --> 00:31:33,720 or somebody else. 409 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 2: Who wants to share more about how federal or even 410 00:31:39,759 --> 00:31:43,599 local tax dollars are going to the USOPC or to 411 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:47,319 national governing bodies. I love to learn more about that, 412 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:52,720 but right now I don't see an avenue there. 413 00:31:53,759 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: I worry about how much of Los Angeles is going 414 00:31:56,279 --> 00:31:59,279 to be left for the twenty twenty eight games. Quite frankly, 415 00:31:59,359 --> 00:32:04,200 what we're seeing, and indeed I mean that in all sincerity. 416 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:08,720 And if what is happening today continues into the twenty 417 00:32:08,839 --> 00:32:14,119 twenty eight Olympic time period, well that's another topic for 418 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:15,400 another show well together. 419 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 2: But I do think that it touches on something that 420 00:32:20,319 --> 00:32:23,119 is very relevant to our topic that I think deserves 421 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:27,240 more attention. So these riots going on in LA and 422 00:32:27,359 --> 00:32:31,640 other cities are a sign of many different problems, and 423 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:35,519 one of them is deep division in American society. Well, 424 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,880 a cultural institution we have in this country that can 425 00:32:40,079 --> 00:32:44,720 play a great role in civic harmony and national unity 426 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,759 is the cultural institution of sports. And so this is 427 00:32:48,799 --> 00:32:53,400 another reason I've been concerned about seeing sports hijacked for 428 00:32:53,599 --> 00:32:57,880 activist causes, is that it degrades the role of sports 429 00:32:58,079 --> 00:33:02,519 as a shared civicanstrtitution in America Because, as for me, 430 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:07,920 I'll go to a local baseball game here in Nebraska 431 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:11,200 where I live. We've got a team in Lincoln, the 432 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,960 Salt Dogs, and I'm sure that there are fans rooting 433 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:19,240 for our local team with whom I would disagree on 434 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:23,759 many things and they would disagree with me. However, together 435 00:33:24,119 --> 00:33:27,319 at the sports game, we can enjoy the game together 436 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,799 and we can root for the team together. However, when 437 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:36,000 teams become divisive an even partisan, that's gone. 438 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,279 Speaker 1: It is indeed, and it brings us to the division 439 00:33:39,559 --> 00:33:45,720 within the athletic community, the amateur athletic community itself. Yes, 440 00:33:45,759 --> 00:33:48,000 and I think about I wanted to get your take 441 00:33:48,119 --> 00:33:52,799 on the recent flap between Simone Biles and Riley Games. 442 00:33:53,559 --> 00:33:56,480 That's one of the biggest issues out there. Once again, 443 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:01,559 it is men involved in women's sports. This fiery exchange 444 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:07,480 from these two athletes, and I think, if anything, it 445 00:34:07,519 --> 00:34:11,880 did shine some more light on where America stands on 446 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:13,519 these issues. What do you think about it all? 447 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 2: I agree it shined light because the comments by Simon 448 00:34:19,039 --> 00:34:23,159 Files supporting males and female sports were not received with 449 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:28,639 great cheer. And I also found it upsetting that she's 450 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:34,400 using her high public profile after she has won her medals, 451 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:43,000 whereas the athletes who don't want to be coerced, they 452 00:34:43,039 --> 00:34:46,840 sometimes don't even get the chance to win medals. 453 00:34:49,079 --> 00:34:53,119 Speaker 1: That's a very important point. I mean, that is the 454 00:34:53,199 --> 00:34:57,960 issue with the fencing situation, right, yes, yeah. 455 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 2: Another example that this is the example that the first 456 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:06,559 example I know of of this coercion and then an 457 00:35:06,639 --> 00:35:09,920 athlete saying no was in twenty seventeen. As I mentioned 458 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,719 in May twenty seventeen, I heard the US Soccer Federation 459 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,320 was going to add an LGBT rainbow to the uniform, 460 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,519 and my alarm bells and my head went off, and 461 00:35:18,599 --> 00:35:21,599 so I began watching this and one of the great 462 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:27,239 soccer defenders in women's soccer, Jayleen Hinkel, who's a Christian, 463 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,639 she got called up to the national team, which is 464 00:35:30,679 --> 00:35:34,400 a huge honor and a major milestone in a career. 465 00:35:35,039 --> 00:35:40,239 But she declined. And while she made a statement that 466 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,400 was very she said it was for personal reasons, it 467 00:35:43,519 --> 00:35:49,320 later came out more clearly she declined because she refused 468 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:52,719 to wear the LGBT rainbow on a uniform. And she's 469 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:54,239 in my gallery of heroes. 470 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 3: There are some ugly numbers. When it comes to four 471 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,360 oh one k balances, the watch Dot on Wall Street 472 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:10,360 podcast with Chris Markowski every day. Chris helps unpack the 473 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,960 connection between politics and the economy and how it affects 474 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,599 your wallet. Studies show people in their thirties have a 475 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,639 staggeringly low amount of money in their four oh one k's. 476 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:22,559 Even when companies match, they're wasting free money. Millennials have 477 00:36:22,639 --> 00:36:24,519 to put more money on whether it's happening in DC 478 00:36:24,679 --> 00:36:27,199 or down on Wall Street, it's affecting you financially. Be informed. 479 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,320 Check out the Watchdot on Wall Street podcast with Chris 480 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:37,599 Markowski on Apples, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 481 00:36:39,159 --> 00:36:42,679 Speaker 1: Final question for you, it's a question that I ask 482 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:45,199 a lot of our guests to deal with policy issues, 483 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:49,440 cultural issues, and that is this, where do you see 484 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:54,559 this going five ten years from now? But a little 485 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:59,000 faster timeline than that, because, as you mentioned, some significant 486 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,199 worldwide events will be taking place in this country over 487 00:37:03,239 --> 00:37:07,199 the next few years, that of course involving soccer and 488 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:11,039 involving a lot of sports. With the Olympics in Los Angeles. 489 00:37:11,679 --> 00:37:20,119 Do you see significant changes on this front moving in 490 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:22,639 the direction you'd like to see it or where do 491 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,679 you see it going in the next several years. 492 00:37:26,039 --> 00:37:28,480 Speaker 2: For the first time since I got involved in this 493 00:37:28,559 --> 00:37:32,719 issue in twenty seventeen, and I began realizing that it 494 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,320 was all going to be much more difficult than I expected. 495 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,960 For the first time since then, I have more hope 496 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:43,199 than I've had before. And this is because of two factors. One, 497 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,360 the American public is tired of it, and they are 498 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,400 saying that out loud. That's essential. The second part, you've 499 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:53,039 got to say it out loud. The second is political power, 500 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:59,639 because that is how sports governance is authorized in the 501 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:06,239 United States. And so with President Trump in office and 502 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:12,920 also having a Republican Congress and having good leadership on 503 00:38:13,039 --> 00:38:16,199 the committee that's responsible for the USO PC. As I 504 00:38:16,239 --> 00:38:21,119 mentioned that Senator Cruz and the Senate Commerce Committee, we 505 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:26,039 have a window of opportunity for our leader political leaders 506 00:38:26,079 --> 00:38:31,079 in this country to take action that can correct this. However, 507 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:36,239 if they don't seize that opportunity, I think that it's 508 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,280 we may see years more of fighting over this. So 509 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:45,000 it's one reason that I wrote the report Reclaimed Team 510 00:38:45,119 --> 00:38:49,280 USA Sports from Activism Now and published it now. 511 00:38:49,679 --> 00:38:52,679 Speaker 1: It really does relate to so much. I keep hearing 512 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:56,599 that turn of phrase, and it couldn't be truer window 513 00:38:56,679 --> 00:39:00,960 of opportunity. There are so many things. If we want 514 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,719 to restore this republic, quite frankly, if we want to 515 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:09,639 restore this culture, if we want to bring back morality, 516 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:14,079 a compass, a moral compass to this country and to 517 00:39:14,199 --> 00:39:20,239 policymakers who decide so much. Yeah, it is a window 518 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:24,480 of opportunity. But if that window of opportunity closes, we 519 00:39:24,559 --> 00:39:27,400 may not get that opportunity for a very long time. 520 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:30,000 I think that's as you said. Your report really does 521 00:39:30,079 --> 00:39:33,079 drive that home. Thanks to my guest today, Jennifer Brice, 522 00:39:33,159 --> 00:39:36,480 and a fellow in the Ethics and Public Policy Centers 523 00:39:36,519 --> 00:39:41,159 Catholic Women's Forum. She researches and advocates for sound sports 524 00:39:41,199 --> 00:39:46,480 governance via the Sports Policy Initiative. Jennifer's new report recently 525 00:39:46,519 --> 00:39:54,000 published at EPPC titled Reclaim Team USA Sports from Activism. Jennifer, 526 00:39:54,039 --> 00:39:57,599 thanks so much for joining us. Thank you you've been 527 00:39:57,639 --> 00:40:00,480 listening to another edition of The Federalist Radio Hour. I'm 528 00:40:00,519 --> 00:40:04,280 Matt Kittle, Senior Elections correspondent at the Federalist. We'll be 529 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:08,440 back soon with more. Until then, stay lovers of freedom 530 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:09,679 and anxious for the friend